Description
Paris Brest is a classic French pastry featuring a crisp choux pastry ring filled with a light and airy vanilla whipped cream. Originally created to commemorate the Paris-Brest bicycle race, this elegant dessert combines the delicate texture of baked choux with a rich, creamy filling, topped with toasted almonds for added crunch and flavor.
Ingredients
Scale
Pastry:
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 4 large eggs
- 1/2 cup sliced almonds (optional, for topping)
Cream Filling:
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent sticking and ensure even baking.
- Make Dough Base: In a medium saucepan, combine water, butter, sugar, and salt. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, allowing the butter to melt completely and mix with the water.
- Add Flour: Once boiling, add all the flour at once. Stir rapidly with a wooden spoon until the dough pulls away from the sides of the pan and forms a smooth ball.
- Cool Dough: Remove the pan from heat and let the dough cool slightly for about 5 minutes to prevent the eggs from cooking in the next step.
- Incorporate Eggs: Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition until the dough becomes smooth, glossy, and holds its shape.
- Pipe Dough: Transfer the dough to a pastry bag fitted with a large round tip. Pipe the dough onto the prepared baking sheet into a large 8-inch diameter ring. Optionally, sprinkle the ring with sliced almonds for added texture and flavor.
- Bake Part 1: Bake the pastry in the preheated oven at 425°F (220°C) for 20 minutes to start puffing and forming a crust.
- Bake Part 2: Reduce the heat to 375°F (190°C) and continue baking for another 20 minutes until the pastry is golden brown and feels firm when touched. This ensures the pastry is fully cooked and crisp.
- Dry Out Pastry: Turn off the oven, crack the oven door open slightly, and let the pastry sit inside for 10 minutes to dry out and maintain its crispness.
- Cool Pastry: Remove the pastry from the oven and allow it to cool completely on a wire rack to prevent sogginess.
- Prepare Cream Filling: Whip the heavy cream with powdered sugar and vanilla extract until stiff peaks form, creating a light, fluffy filling.
- Slice Pastry: Once cooled, carefully slice the pastry horizontally using a serrated knife to create a top and bottom half.
- Fill Pastry: Using a piping bag or spoon, evenly distribute the whipped cream onto the bottom half of the pastry ring.
- Assemble: Replace the top half of the pastry onto the cream-filled bottom, pressing gently to secure it. Optionally, dust the top with powdered sugar for a refined finish.
- Serve or Store: Serve the Paris Brest immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve, keeping the cream fresh and the pastry crisp.
Notes
- Allow the choux pastry to cool completely before slicing and filling to prevent the cream from melting and the pastry from becoming soggy.
- Sifting powdered sugar on top adds a classic look and a subtle sweetness.
- For variation, you can substitute the vanilla whipped cream with praline cream or pastry cream.
- Make sure to pipe the dough evenly to ensure uniform baking and puffing.
- Keep the dried pastry in an airtight container if storing without filling to maintain crispness.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: French
Keywords: Paris Brest, French pastry, choux pastry, cream-filled pastry, vanilla whipped cream, French dessert, almond topping
